WND

U.S. outmaneuvers 'so-called' state of Palestine

Says it won't even respond to International Court of Justice proceeding

Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton, who is now national security adviser

Ever since President Trump took office, he’s been at odds with Palestinians. He’s objected to their use of foreign funds to pay terrorists.

So he’s cut U.S. funding, revoked residency permits for the family of PLO officials and shut down PLO bank accounts. He also closed the PLO office in Washington.

One of the Palestinian responses was a complaint to the International Court of Justice about the U.S. decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem and recognize the city as Israel’s capital.

On Wednesday U.S. officials said they have defeated the Palestinians’ campaign at the United Nations to challenge the U.S. decision by dropping out of one part of the Vienna Convention on dispute resolution. Palestinians had been hoping to air their objection to the embassy move through the convention.

USA Today reported the U.S. decision effectively “stymied” a legal campaign by Palestinians.

Further, the report noted National Security Adviser John Bolton’s reference to “the so-called state of Palestine” and said it was a “provocative remark” that would be seen as a slap at Palestinian statehood hopes.

Bolton said the U.S. was withdrawing from one optional provision of the Vienna Convention, and that would not only block the Palestinian complaint, it also would shield the U.S. from the reach of the international court.

“We will commence a review of all international agreements that may still expose the United States to purported binding jurisdiction dispute resolution in the International Court of Justice,” Bolton said. “The United States will not sit idly by as baseless politicized claims are brought against us.”

RT.com reported the U.S. is not the only country to deny acknowledgment of Palestine as a state.

“Its Western European allies also refrain from doing so, along with Australia and Canada. However, most countries in South America, Asia, and Africa do, along with the majority of Eastern Europe.”

The Times of Israel reported Bolton confirmed the U.S. will remain party to the underlying Vienna treaty, but it will review all international agreements that could still expose the country to ICJ resolutions.